Texas Lifestyle of: Tidbits, Tales, Travel & Tea

From The HEART

Definition of HEART:The organ in your chest that pumps blood through your veins and arteries; the front part of your chest; the HEART thought of a the place where emotions are felt.

Definition FROM THE HEART:With Sincere Feeling

Well this is the last day of the month of February, I am sitting here sipping on my favorite cup of China Tip Green Tea….mmmm….savoring the fact how quickly time passes especially the older I get.Maybe it is the fact February is a short month in the number of days it has and therefore it goes by quicker as well.Anyway I felt lead to share some things this week that are truly FROM THE HEART so let’s begin!

When I started this blog I wanted it to be an uplifting reflection of random thoughts, tidbits, tales, travel experiences, and tea being because it warms my HEART, expressed from Texas as that is where I live but mostly it is about encouraging people to truly find a “Takin Time Out!” as we live in such a fast pace world.For the most part I hope I have captured that but I have also found it has truly opened up a part of me I never realized existed and that is the art of writing.I have always been a tender HEARTED person, very self-conscience, people pleaser and I take what people say to HEART.Well that can be a good thing but also a bad thing…how many of you have had a teacher, mentor or boss who told you that you were not very good at something and you truly believed them?This is the case and point with me.

While in school my English teacher did just that, I also had a boss that corrected harshly almost every letter I wrote so with so much negativity you begin to believe you shouldn’t do certain thing and writing was one of them.I used to put a Happy Face at the end of my memo when I signed it.Now for the Generation X and Y who might be reading this you probably do not know what a memo is but prior to email and just on the cusp of faxes, we used to send several inter-office memo’s back and forth forming our communication and relaying our proposal, reminder a brief written record, it was not as formal as a letter but got our point across.I had one upper manager asked me to quit putting those smiley faces at the end of my salutation as it was NOT professional…well I was just trying to express my feelings and wanting that person to smile and have a good day since I couldn’t see them in person.And Forrest Gump worked so hard to design and create it…so I conformed and quit doing it and as time moved forward and we now have the introduction to emails, text and instant messaging that same former upper manager who now is retired sends a note she puts a little happy face at the end of her remarks.You know what, I just SMILE and think I was just a little before my time.LOL!

I will say I sometimes worry about my grammar, I know I spell some things wrong, punctuation is definitely not right, I use slang words but blogging allows you to express those deep hidden random thoughts and for the most part your readers are able to understand what you are trying to express without too much criticism. For those who are good with grammar and maybe an English major I know I probably drive you crazy, please forgive me.

I would ask what is on your bucket list of things you would like to try to accomplish or do.Have you begun?Why not?Is it fear, preparation, skills, funds, time, or just plain ole procrastination?That is why I want to get to the HEART of the matter and encourage you to begin today!My first recommendation is to write it down and maybe write it down a couple of times and then put a date of when you are going to begin.Post it somewhere you can see it each and every day like on your bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator or the speedometer dash of your car if you drive allot.I have the motto on my computer screen that says “A year from now, you will wish you had started TODAY” by Karen Lamb.What is that desire my friend…no better time than now to begin.It doesn’t have to be perfect, you don’t have to have all the stuff to start just take that first step and you will be sooooo glad you did!Yes, you may stubble along the way but that is how you learn and grow, no matter how young or old you are, dig deep within your HEART and water that seed and let it begin to grow.It is amazing the discoveries you will find.I am so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone, I started putting these random thoughts and matters of my HEART down on a computer screen, you never know whose life you might touch, who you will meet along the way or what opportunities will be discovered through these adventures.It may not be blogging but maybe it is starting a journal that you keep private for a while or painting, sketching, writing a book, cooking, sewing, gardening, recycling or making unique crafts.In this ever changing world the sky is the limit.I also encourage you to not wait, that saying from childhood pops in my head “Don’t put off what you can do today as tomorrow may never come.”

During my quiet time this week I went through and listed those verses that had the word “HEART” and here are some of my favorites:

Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is there your HEART will be also.”

Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all your HEART and lean not on your own understanding”

Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your HEART.”

You know the best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even touched they are felt and they are felt with your HEART.Keep love in your HEART, keep compassion, keep the renewing of each day as a new beginning and please keep forgiveness. I know very well throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and hurt you deeply but life is too short to let bitterness take hold, rise above, open your HEART to forgive and set yourself free.A loving HEART is the beginning of true happiness.

As you are “Takin Time Out” this week, I encourage you to OPEN up your HEART, be receptive to new discovery of your inner soul, let the spirit speak to you and then act upon it.Don’t wait time is ticking…Until next time my dear friends…breathe deeply, breathe even deeper and relax, draw upon your visions and let them truly come to life…